Inland water transport of Russia belongs to the integral link of a single whole, called the shipping system of the state. In comparison with other types of communication, it has a number of advantages regarding the transportation of bulky and heavy cargo. In some constituent entities of the Russian Federation, it occupies a key role in the development of the economy, as it is the only possible way for this region.
The history of the development of inland navigation
Due to its geographical location, it so happened that for many years rivers and lakes constituted a significant part of the stateβs infrastructure. The history of water transport in Russia has centuries-old roots. Ancient sources mention that back in the 9th century, Slavic peoples traded with their neighbors, moving along the Volga, Don, and Caspian Sea.
Significant prospects for the development of inland water transport in Russia were identified during the reign of Peter I. He paid enormous attention not only to the army, but also to the fleet, including the river fleet.
Significant changes in Russian shipbuilding occurred with the development of industry:
- From the beginning of the 19th century, metal was used for the manufacture of river transport.
- By the middle of the century there is a tendency to introduce mechanical traction - ships.
- The internal combustion engine, which appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, displaces the steam engine and is still used successfully.
Freight transportation
In the aggregate use of combined transport, the role of inland water transport in ensuring the vital resources of the state is irreplaceable. Although he is not able to seriously compete with automobile and railway means, the specifics of the transported goods and record low financial costs (in comparison with other types of cargo transportation) become the basis for its use.
Mainly water equipment is used for the transportation of goods in the following categories:
- Loose.
- Prefabricated, container.
- Saw and timber.
Waterways used in freight transport
There are several main areas. The most popular means of communication for water transport in Russia, specializing in cargo transportation, are the following arteries:
- West Siberian.
- Volga-Kama.
- Northwest.
Varieties of cargo ships
Inland water transport of Russia is divided into types of ships, the purpose of which is determined based on their functionality. That is, depending on the type of cargo carried. In total, 4 species are found in our country:
- Bulk carriers (bulk carriers) - are intended for transportation of bulk materials (sand, ore minerals, grain). They can be distinguished by the presence of several unloading hatches located around the entire perimeter.
- Tankers - are used for bulk fossil fuels (oil products, liquefied gas, vegetable oils).
- Ships intended for the transport of goods with self-loading.
- Container carriers - place Euroformat railway containers on their deck. Complex manipulations in the process of loading and unloading do not require.
Passenger Transportation
The demand for passenger traffic is tied to the large capitals of the regions. In this case, there is a direct opposite between the western and eastern parts.
In European regions, water transport in Russia is most in demand for tourism. This is due to the developed infrastructure of other means of communication - rail and road. In this regard, shipping, characterized by low speed, is used only for pleasure trips.
It should be noted that numerous cascades of the Volga and Kama hydroelectric facilities built in the last century turned the rivers into full-flowing transport arteries. Thus, all large inter-basin connections form a single path, the length of which reaches 6300 km.
With respect to the Siberian part of the country, the situation is completely opposite. The difficult climatic conditions of the regions do not allow regulating the infrastructure between large transport hubs. Therefore, river routes here are vital.
Varieties of passenger ships
In almost any large city, standing on the river, belonging to one of the largest shipping basins, there is a river station, among the services of which are indicated a variety of local, transit, tourist and cruise directions.
Depending on the characteristics of the water artery of the region, various types of swimming equipment are used. The classification of inland navigation in Russia is as follows:
- Passenger liners designed for coastal navigation along the borders of the state. The type of hydrofoil navigable transport is Comet-120M, linking the entire Black Sea coast of Russia, starting from Sochi and ending with Crimea.
- Cruise ships sailing between two or more large seaports in the same water area. For example, along the most popular route, including a passage practically throughout the entire European part of the country: Moscow - Astrakhan.
- High-speed light-weight vessels sailing within the same coastal region: catamarans, hovercraft, hydrofoil structures.
- Ferries operating on a strict schedule and used to connect two points located on opposite banks.
- Sailing ships and yachts intended primarily for sports or recreational purposes.
- Motor boats of all types, designed for amateur walks, fishing.
River special transport
The so-called technical water transport includes all those vessels that are not engaged in the transportation of passengers, transportation of goods and fishing. They, in turn, are divided into several classifications:
- Serving the transport fleet and port of registry (pilot boats, road raids, river icebreakers).
- Vessels used by emergency personnel (water transport of the Ministry of Emergencies of Russia, fire-fighting, rescue vessels).
Advantages and disadvantages of river transport
Despite the fact that domestic cargo transportation remains cost-effective, this type of message balances on the verge of extinction. This is explained by many years of industry problems, one of which is an outdated fleet of vehicles. Based on the information taken from the website of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, only 4 of the vessels are in perfect condition.
In addition to the above information, among the main advantages and disadvantages of water transport in Russia, there are a number of factors that negatively affect its relevance:
- Low speed of movement.
- Seasonality of use. Most of the reservoirs of the Russian Federation in the cold season are icebound, which does not allow regular transport movements.
- The restriction of movement is associated with the channel of the reservoir. In most cases, it is necessary to use multimodular (combining several modes of transport) transportation.
- Direct dependence on weather conditions in the region.
- Pollution of the country's waterways.
Of the advantages competing with negative characteristics, one can note the following:
- The route runs along natural routes. There is no need for funds for the construction of routes or the construction of railways.
- Low financial costs due to the minimum amount of energy consumed.
- High rate of carrying capacity in comparison with other types of transport.
The state of water transport today
The role that inland water transport plays in the economy of the Russian Federation is determined not by the amount of cargo and passengers transported, but by the uniqueness of the significance of its functions. As mentioned earlier, the livelihoods of remote regions of Siberia and the Far East without it may be at risk.
However, at the moment in this segment are progressing problems requiring an urgent change in its condition. First of all, the situation is becoming more complicated due to the slow decommissioning of river vessels. This becomes the reason for the almost absent "rejuvenation" of vehicles. Thus, more than half of the water equipment has been in operation for more than 25 years.
There are problems in the structure of Russian transport. The full tonnage of self-propelled vessels is almost 50% of the total carrying capacity. The key mistake of the Russian system is the irrational use of the so-called βtractorsβ. For example, if in our country 1 pusher pulls 2-3 barges, in the United States it has at least 7 trailed elements, which significantly reduces the overall mileage of the vessel.
Thus, the technical condition and prospects for the development of water transport in Russia leave much to be desired. The country's leadership has done a lot of work in recent years regarding the revival of the river civil fleet, but its results have not yet been announced.
2018 inland water accidents
The age-related problems of the vessels in operation partially become the causes of the more frequent emergency situations:
- 03/01/2018 - a fire on the double-decker passenger ship "Nereus" moored in the South River Port.
- 06/29/2018 - a fire in the engine room of the Barguzin motor ship in Irkutsk.
- 07/13/2018 - 2 sunken high-speed hydrofoil ships in the Novinka backwater area on the Moscow River.
These are far from all the tragic events that affected people. Based on this, it was decided to tighten control over the technical condition and availability of the policy of compulsory insurance of water transport in Russia. To some extent, this will reduce the likelihood of malfunctioning vessels in the waters of large settlements.